News & Updates

Venison Meatballs with Chili-Cranberry Sauce
By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks
 
These meatballs can be frozen in batches and added to a variety of sauces, soups, and stews or serve all of them for a block party!  Baking them in the oven on foil lined sheets makes quick cleanup, and large batches can be cooked at the same time, and the meatballs don’t fall apart.
 
Makes: 2 pounds = approx.45 mini meatballs
 
BASE MEATBALL RECIPE:
 

• 2 lb. Ground Venison (or any wild game), keep the ground venison cold!
• 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup crushed Corn Flakes (adjust based on how the mixture is looking, add if more binder is needed to shape meatballs, otherwise, stick to 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs (or plain + 2 tablespoons dried parsley and 1 tablespoon dried oregano)
• 1 tbs. Garlic Powder
• 1 tbs. Onion Powder
• 1/3 cup finely minced White or Yellow Onion
• 4 tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

 
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. 
 

• Lightly beat the eggs.
• Crush corn flakes to medium ground in a sealed zip lock bag
• Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix. 
• Using a small ice cream scoop, portion out about 48 meatballs, then roll in between palms to shape.
• Line a baking sheets with foil and add meatballs. 
• Place the baking sheet on the middle rack and bake in the oven for 7 minutes then gently roll meatballs over with a fork and bake for an additional 7 minutes. 
• Remove and leave on the baking sheets to cool COMPLETELY. 

 
 *Freeze in batches in zip lock bags with as much air removed as possible or vacuum bags and use directly from the freezer and place in sauces, soups or stews. 
 
 
 SAUCE: CHILI-CRANBERRY SAUCE: 
 
**About 48 Pre-Cooked Frozen Meatballs 
 

• 1 can Whole Cranberry Sauce (14 ounce)
• 1 bottle Chili Sauce
• 1/3 cup Dried Onion Flakes
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Ketchup
• A splash of Worcestershire Sauce

 
Preheat the oven to 350ºF
 
For Oven Baked:

• Add all the sauce ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Pour the sauce into a 9×13 glass baking dish.
• Add the frozen or fresh meatballs.
• Bake, covered for 35 minutes, then remove the covering and bake another 10 minutes.
• Serve with steamed rice.

 
For the Crock-pot:

• Add all the ingredients and stir.
• Add the meatballs.
• Cover and cook on lowest setting for about 90 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and sautéed green beans or as a pot luck for a large cocktail party.
 
**When hubby wants to go hunting, I mix all the ingredients, including the frozen meatballs and pour it into a foil pan, and place raw green beans on top. I seal it with aluminum foil.  When Hubby comes back to camp at the end of the hunting day, he places the pan in the Camp Chef oven at 300º and allows it to bake while he gets himself cleaned up. Forty-five minutes later, he serves them with 3 cups minute rice… his hunting buddies love it and there is little clean-up and cooking for him to do.

We always appreciate thank you notes from the food banks and ministries that receive nutritious meat from our FHFH chapters.  Ann Szasz, Pantry Captain at the Middlefield Food Pantry wrote: “Thanks for your continued support of the Middlefield First United Methodist Church Food Pantry and the families we serve.  Your generous donation of venison was used to provide nutritious meals to area families in need.  We served 1,329 families (3,516 people) in 2018.  Of those 1,004 were children under 18 years old and 572 were senior citizens.  Thanks again for your donation.  We remain committed to fight against hunger in our communities, and we are thankful for compassionate partners like you.”

Thank you First United Methodist of Middlefield, OH for your letter.  Thank you to Jason Traggiai for serving as chapter coordinator for Great Lakes FHFH (OH-35), the hunters who donated deer and all those who support the Great Lakes FHFH chapter.

,n January 15 West Central Ohio FHFH (OH-40) donated over 800 pounds of venison for pickup for several local area food banks and pantries.  That puts this year at about 1,500 pounds of venison distributed to local agencies.  

Thank you Mike Armentrout, West Central Ohio FHFH Chapter Coordinator; the hunters who donated; and everyone who made this possible!

Guernsey County FHFH (OH-29) recently donated over 1,000 pounds of venison to the Grace Food Pantry in Ohio. 

Donations from the Cambridge Kiwanis Foundation, Walmart and Gulfport Energy to FHFH make it possible to feed those in need locally. 

Thank you Kathi Albertson, ​Guernsey County FHFH Chapter Coordinator; hunters who donated deer; and Cambridge Kiwanis Foundation, Walmart and Gulfport Energy!

Catholic Outreach received 100 pounds of game meat at Orchard Mesa Market on January 15.  The meat was donated through Grand Junction FHFH (CO-05).

Thank you Brandon Siegfried, Chapter Coordinator of Grand Junction FHFH; the hunters who donated; and to everyone who made this possible!

​

A great article “Winning Game” about FHFH on the mid-shore of Maryland was published in the The Star Democrat January 13 and includes comments from FHFH chapter coordinator Amy Cawley and some participating butcher shops!  

Amy Cawley, chapter coordinator for Mid-Shore FHFH, grew up on a grain farm near Denton and has been the Farm to Food Bank coordinator for the Maryland Food Bank’s Eastern Shore branch in Salisbury for almost eight years. 

To read this great article CLICK HERE.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ….”    Matthew 25:35   
​
Resolving to Be a Positive Change Maker in 2019  
 
The word “resolve” is defined as “to decide firmly on a course of action.”  The beginning of a new year is a chance to make resolutions that bring about positive changes. Sometimes you give up an old habit or you start something new. 

One great resolution is to get involved with a charitable organization such as FHFH. It will not only make a positive difference in your life, but also in the lives of people struggling with hunger in your community. And if you get involved with FHFH along with other members of your family or your friends, you can strengthen those relationships by working together with the common goal of ending hunger in our country.
 
There are many ways you can get involved with FHFH:

• Start a new FHFH chapter in your area by becoming an FHFH chapter coordinator.
• Volunteer to help with an existing FHFH chapter.
• Donate deer, elk or livestock to a participating FHFH meat processor.
• Give a financial gift to help pay the meat processing costs of donated deer, elk and livestock.
• Have a Facebook fundraiser for FHFH.
• Share FHFH and our mission on social media (Facebook and Twitter).

We look forward to a new year and continuing our resolve to end hunger.
 
On behalf of FHFH and all those in our country suffering from hunger, we THANK YOU for your generous support!

​​Sincerely,

  

Josh Wilson
Executive Director
Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry

Venison Chili
By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks
Serves 6

Venison Chili is great for game day or any day!  I’ve created this recipe to be a bit more mild than the “three alarm” type, but you can add as much heat as you like.  Make this chili the day ahead and let the flavors really come together for a “winning” combination of spicy, savory, smokey and sweet!

Ingredients

• 3 lb. Venison Bottom Round (*you can also add 1 pound of ground wild game sausage, if desired)
• 3/4 pound Bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces (lardons)
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 16 ounces Tomato Sauce
• 28 ounces, Canned Diced Tomatoes
• 7 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 cups Beef Stock
• 1 cup Beer (I used Tecate Mexican Beer)

Dump #1: Mix

• 2 tbs. Onion Powder
• 2 tbs. Dried Oregano
• 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 1-1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 1-1/2 tsp. Pasilla Chili Powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. California Chili Powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. Cayenne Chili Powder

Dump #2: Mix

• 7 Tbs. Prepared Dona Maria brand Mole, from an 8 ounce jar (substitute 6 ounces 70% dark chocolate)
• 4 Tbs. Brown Sugar
• 3/4 tsp. Ground Cumin

Instructions

• Bring the Venison to room temperature, 1 hour before cooking.
• Cut the venison into 1 inch cubes, and season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces (lardons) and sauté in a large pot until crispy.
• Remove the bacon to a plate and leave the drippings in the pot.
• Add the cubed venison, a few at a time, and brown over medium-high heat.
• Once all the venison is browned, remove it to a bowl.
• Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot and sauté over medium-heat for 3 minutes.
• Add the browned venison, bacon lardons, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef stock, beer and spice dump #1 to the pot and give it a stir.
• Turn the heat down to it’s lowest setting and simmer, covered with a lid, stirring occasionally for 2 hours.
• Check it after 2 hours for tenderness, it should begin breaking down a bit.
• Add spice dump #2 and stir.
• If it looks like there is too much liquid, leave the lid on half way to reduce.
• Continue simmering for another 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• You want the liquid to reduce to thicken the chili, but not to the point of being dried out.
• Refrigerate the chili for at least 24 hours, before serving to allow the flavors to really meld into the chili.

Notes

Add any toppings you like and serve with a side of beans and your favorite cornbread!

*1 pound of ground wild game sausage can be sautéed along with the venison.

Sarah in Ohio donated an 8-point buck she got during muzzleloader season to FHFH to feed the hungry!  Her father has donated deer to FHFH for many years. 

​Thank you Sarah for caring and helping to feed the hungry!

Thank you FHFH coordinator Doug Martin and the hunters of North Central Indiana for providing nutritious meat to groups like ​Bona Vista Programs, Inc.​ who provide services to many children and adults in their community!

Last year, the North Central Indiana FHFH chapter donated the processed meat from six deer to Bona Vista to distribute to those who live in their group homes and supported living homes.  This year, North Central Indiana FHFH donated meat from eight deer! 

An article about the impact of meat donations from FHFH to Bona Vista Programs, Inc. was featured in the Kokomoperspective.com on January 2, 2019.  The article stated, “Do you know what kind of impact that has on the budget?  That doesn’t even take into account the warm and fuzzy impact it leaves on the hearts of those receiving it when they know that someone did that just for them.  It’s priceless.“  “We are so thankful! It is people like Walker, his friend, Doug Martin and others involved with the organization who make a difference in the communities where they live.”  CLICK HERE to read the full article.